Fred Headon models vintage Canadian Pacific passenger cars

Veteran modeller Fred Headon submitted these CP passenger cars at the WMRC’s January model display. The models of the Canadian Pacific Combination 4208, Canadian Pacific coach 4711 were Pacific Pike kits from the mid-1950s. 

They were assembled with White metal sides, ends, clerestory vent representations, Queen posts, brake fittings and truck side frames, wood floor and roof (roof required shaping to curve ends of clerestory), brass steps and end railings. Plastic wheels were replaced with nickel silver sets.

Sides and ends were painted with Scalecoat CPR tuscan red. Under frame and end platforms were painted with Floquil flat black. Roof areas with single ply Kleenex applied, painted Floquil flat black. Clerestory vents interior area were painted with silver.

Fred used Champ Decals produced by the late Rich Meyere of Minot, North Dakota, and Black Cat Decals of Winnipeg. Interior walls and ceiling were painted with Floquil Central Vermont green. Seats were painted with two different shades of brown. Seat railings were scratch built. Figures came from various sources from the past and Preiser.

 

A good time was had by all at the WMRC's annual Clinic Carnival and Christmas hot dog banquet

Darrell Brownlee (left)  demonstrates how to make model with his 3D computer. John Bate, sitting behind him, conducted a clinician how to use 3D printing software.

Everybody had a great time at last week's clinic carnival and annual Christmas hot dog banquet. We even had a few guests! 

For the first time at our annual clinic carnival we had two tag team demonstrations. We had a 3D printing clinic by Darrell Brownlee with a software tutorial on how to set it up by John Bate. 

Murray Brown showed us how to make your own decals, while MMR Fred Headon showed us how to apply them. Marvin Fetch was on hand showing us his many structure building techniques.

And of course, there was the hot dog banquet! Everyone enjoyed the air fried hot dogs expertly prepared by our master chef, canteen operator Mark McLennan.

Murray Brown shows Graham Leathers (R) and Gary Stempnick (L) how to make decals.

After Murray Brown showed you how to make your own decals, you could mosey on over to MMR Fred Headon's table to learn how to apply them.

Marvin Fetch shares some of his expert structure building techniques with long time member Allan Graham (L) and WMRC Past President Bob Harrison (R).

It's Clinic Carnival time at the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club

Come one, come all to the WMRC’s annual clinic carnival and Christmas hot dog banquet! Please note that we’re having our meeting on Friday, December 5, a week earlier than usual.

We have an exciting roster of some of Winnipeg’s best modellers sharing their skills this year, including Murray Brown, who’ll show you how to make your own decals, and Fred Headon, who’ll show you how to apply them. John Bate will have a simple 3D CAD program running, capable of producing the files needed to drive 3D printers. People can see how this part of 3D printing is done, and try it for themselves. Darrell Brownlee will show you how to complete the task using 3D printing. 

While you’re soaking in on all of these great modelling hints, feast on gourmet air fried hot dogs prepared by our own master chef Mark McLennan, along with pop, chips, donuts and cookies!

The fun begins at 7:30PM on Friday, December 5 in the Tank Room at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard. We’ll he having our usual model and photo display, as well as the 50-50 draw. Don’t forget to bring a tin for the bin! Every donation helps the less fortunate. 

 

MMR Fred Headon makes a special presentation at WMRC's September meeting

At our September meeting MMR Fred Headon will make a presentation titled “My Passion for Trains."  He will go over how his interest in trains evolved, beginning with when he was a youngster living just a bike ride away to the railways. It will be followed through to his modelling interests, his involvement with the NMRA and his writing about railways. 

Fred is an honorary life member of the NMRA, and has been an MMR since 2003. He has been an NMRA board member and  has served many positions in the NMRA, including the international committee and the EduTrain committee and Canadian Director of the NMRA. He is a published author of several books about railroading and has served as a mentor to many local model railroaders. He has also been a contest judge, clinician and Secretary of the TLR division.

The fun begins on Friday, September 12 at 7:30PM at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard. The canteen will be open and we will have our usual model and photo displays and a 50-50 draw.

NMRA No.1 Northern Division free-Mo Group readies their layout for Manitoba Train and Hobby Expo

Ian Plett, fearless leader of the NMRA No. 1 Northern Division Free-Mo Group layout, is seen working hard on a new section of the layout. 

Long time WMRC member Christopher Robinson sent us images of the NMRA No.1 Northern Division Free-Mo group hard at work at Larry Skoglund’s place, getting their spectacular layout ready for next month's Manitoba Train and Hobby Expo. The Free-Mo Group and the WMRC are both part of the NMRA No. 1 Northern Division.

NMRA No.1 Northern Division Free-Mo group layout is the largest layout in the entire show, and it's always a must see attraction! Come check it out on September 27 between 9 and 5 and on September 28 between 9 and 4 at the Manitoba Train and Hobby Expo, Red River Exhibition Place, 3977 Portage Avenue. General admission is $12. Youths ages four to 12 get in for six bucks. Kids three years old and under get in for free!

Fred Headon (R) and the crew are seen applying finishing touches to the turf surrounding the track on one of the layout's modular sections.

Installing a four track mainline is not an easy task. The curves have to be the proper length away from each other to prevent the trains from colliding.

The Free-MoGroup's efficient design allows easy and comfortable access for wiring.

Everyone had great fun at the WMRC's 2024 AGM and banquet

We'd like to thank all of our members who attended our annual AGM and banquet, held at the Canad Inns Polo Park last Friday. Everyone had a great time, and there were awards galore to hand out! 

We had an abundance of prizes to be won by purchasing an "arm's length" row of tickets, plus two elimination draws for an HO scale and and N scale locomotive and two beautiful railway themed mounted prints which were auctioned off. 

The club is taking the summer off, but please come to our next meeting on September 12 at the Charleswood Legion, 6003 Roblin Boulevard, at 7:30 PM. Have a great summer, and keep 'em on the rails!

Fred Headon (L) chats with Moe Smith and WMRC President John Bate just before the meeting.

We had a plethora of prizes to hand out at our raffle! Just about everyone who bought an "arm's legnth" row of tickets went home with a prize!

 

Warehouse Hobbies has closed

Warehouse Hobbies, one of Winnipeg’s oldest model railroad hobby shops, has shuttered its doors. It was founded by Ken Martin in 1983, after he closed his Ye Old Hobby Shop stores, which had locations in Polo Park, Garden City Shopping Centre, and at 365 Portage Avenue.  

Warehouse Hobbies first location was actually in a warehouse on Kensington St. in the block immediately east of the Winnipeg Transit garage on Route 90, near Polo Park. He later moved to a smaller location on Portage Avenue at Woodlands Crescent just west of Sturgeon Road. 

 

In 1995 Ken retired to Nanaimo and sold Warehouse Hobbies to Jim and Beverly Iredale. Jim was an accountant by profession and an avid model railroader who had always dreamed about owning his own hobby shop. Tragically, his dream was cut short when he suffered a fatal heart attack in at the age of 39 on July 31, 1997.

 

Bev continued to run the shop for 30 years. The store had two other locations. It first moved to the intersection of Ferry Road and Portage Avenue. When the rent was increased at that location, she moved the shop to its present location 265 Rouge Road. 

 

Bev has had three model railroaders assist her in running the shop through the years, the most significant being MMR Fred Headon. Fred joined Warehouse Hobbies in August 1997 shortly after retiring from a long career as a high school teacher. Fred worked there for 27 ½ years, and was there on the last weekend that the store was open. 

 

Warehouse Hobbies was a cherished institution in Winnipeg’s vibrant and thriving model railroad community. If offered personal service in these days of faceless on-line U.S. based mail order hobby shops, and it will be sorely missed. 

Come see Santa at the NMRA Christmas train show this Saturday!

The National Model Railroad Association presents their first annual Christmas Train Show! Bring the kids to meet Santa Claus, and stay for all the layouts and displays in a Christmas setting!

Santa Claus is going to have some very good company at the show! Joining jolly St. Nick will be the No. 1 Northern Division’s Free-Mo HO gauge modular layout, WinNtak’s N gauge modular layout and the Lionel train O gauge “Giraffe Car” layout. 

Multiple award winning modeller Ron Einarson will be holding a modelling workshop. Fred Headon of Warehouse Hobbies will be on hand to offer all sorts of model railroading and modelling advice. Fred is the Canadian Director of the National Model Railroad Association and is a certified Master Model Railroader (MMR). 

There will also be a model railroad flea market, featuring a variety of model railroad equipment in various gauges for sale.

This is the last train show of the year, and it looks like it's going to be a good one! The show is being held on Saturday, November 12 at Whyte Ridge Baptist Church, 201 Scurfield Boulevard. Hours are from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. Handicap accessible. Admission by silver collection. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to St. Amant.